Due to a blizzard on May 1, the date when all bison were supposed to be back in the Park, the deployment of cattle in the area west of West Yellowstone was delayed until June 1, giving the bison a little more time.

At the north entrance, Yellowstone Park Offcials herded 107 bison into the Park in late April. All had tested negative for brucellosis. Acording to Park spokesperson Marsha Karle, "We herded them back into the Park, and they headed toward Lamar Valley. They just zoomed in."

Park bison expert, biologist Mary Meagher counted 1281 bison inside Yellowstone on April 13. This is down from 3400 at the beginning of the winter. Meagher said she still expected further winter kill, but she didn't expect the population to drop below 1000.

I believe the herd will rebuild as long as we don't have another round of deliberate slaughter next winter. A final plan (to replace the interim plan) is expected to be completed this summer. This is an important document, and I will try to provide information on it.

Meanwhile the man many say was the architect of the Montana bison slaughter, Montana State Veterinarian Clarence Siroky, is leaving Montana to become the state vet in Wisconsin. Siroky reported that he was pleased that he had been able to get people of different viewpoints to realize that the problem posed by the bison and brucellosis were real.

On the other hand, Jeanne Marie Souvigney, a senior staffperson for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, a large organization devoted to protecting the Yellowstone country, was reported as saying, "He's been a hindrance to resolving the issue." "The interests of the livestock industry are the only ones Siroky considers," Souvigney charged in an article in the Bozeman Chronicle. She cited what she called his "absolute refusal" to listen to others. --RM